Trauma
In a clinical context, trauma refers to an individual’s emotional, psychological, or physical response to an event or series of events that are perceived as deeply distressing, threatening, or overwhelming. Trauma can result from various experiences, including physical injury, exposure to violence, abuse, accidents, natural disasters, or witnessing harm to others.
Clinically, trauma is often categorized as:
- Acute trauma: A single, isolated event (e.g., a car accident).
- Chronic trauma: Repeated and prolonged exposure to distressing events (e.g., long-term abuse).
- Complex trauma: Exposure to multiple, varied, and/or interpersonal traumatic events, often occurring in early life.
The impact of trauma can manifest in emotional dysregulation, intrusive thoughts, avoidance behaviors, hypervigilance, and somatic symptoms, which may persist beyond the event itself.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can develop after exposure to a traumatic event involving actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the diagnosis of PTSD requires the presence of specific symptoms lasting for more than one month, causing significant distress or impairment in functioning. These symptoms are categorized into four clusters:
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Intrusion symptoms: Recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive memories of the traumatic event, distressing dreams, flashbacks, or intense emotional distress when exposed to reminders.
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Avoidance symptoms: Efforts to avoid distressing memories, thoughts, feelings, or external reminders (e.g., people, places, activities) associated with the trauma.
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Negative alterations in cognition and mood: Persistent negative beliefs about oneself, others, or the world, emotional numbness, inability to experience positive emotions, feelings of detachment, or exaggerated blame.
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Arousal and reactivity symptoms: Irritability, angry outbursts, reckless behavior, hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, or difficulty concentrating and sleeping.
Key Features of PTSD:
- Symptoms must persist for over a month.
- The condition can arise from direct experience, witnessing the trauma, learning about it happening to a close individual, or repeated exposure to traumatic details (e.g., first responders).
- The severity and presentation of PTSD can vary, and it may co-occur with other conditions like depression, anxiety, or substance use disorders.
If untreated, PTSD can have a profound impact on an individual’s mental health, relationships, and overall quality of life. However, evidence-based treatments, such as trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), are effective in managing and alleviating symptoms.
Contact
(435) 313-8533
Location:
Resilience Group
Saint George, UT 84770
In-person and telemedicine available